Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus that lives in soil that contains large amounts of bird or bat droppings. The fungus is frequently found in the Midwest, particularly in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys. Children get histoplasmosis by breathing in the fungus that becomes airborne when soil is disturbed near construction sites, farmland, barns, silos and old homes.

Histoplasmosis is not contagious from person to person. Healthy children who breathe in the fungus at low levels do not get sick or may only have a cough or fever. Most children get better without medicine.

For infants and young children who have weakened immune systems or chronic lung disease, the infection can be serious.

Children at high risk for infections may have symptoms that include:

Fever
Chills
A dry cough or a cough that brings up sputum (phlegm)
Chest pain
Muscle pain
Swollen, painful joints

Diagnosis of Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis can be hard to diagnose. Your child’s doctor will get a complete health history, ask questions about possible exposure to the fungus and do a complete physical exam.

Doctors at Riley at IU Health may perform the following tests to diagnose histoplasmosis:

Blood tests or urine tests. These tests look for fungus antibodies and are often used to make the diagnosis in patients who are very ill.
Chest X-ray. This test may show that your child has an infection. However, histoplasmosis looks like many other conditions such as pneumonia, tumors or tuberculosis.
Blood culture. This culture can show the presence of germs in the blood including fungi and bacteria

Treatments

Depending on your child’s immune system and the severity of the infection, treatment may last from three months to one year. If your child has mild symptoms, he or she may not need treatment. If symptoms get worse, your child may need an antifungal medicine.

If your child has a weakened immune system and the disease spreads to other parts of the body, the doctor will monitor the fungus antigens and give antifungal medicine either as a pill or liquid or through a vein for many months.

Key Points to Remember

Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus that lives in soil.
Healthy children who breathe in the fungus at low levels do not get sick or may only have a cough or fever.
For children with weakened immune systems, histoplasmosis can be serious.
Symptomatic histoplasmosis is usually treated with antifungal medicines

Support Services & Resources

To learn more about histoplasmosis, please visit these trusted resources.

Riley at IU Health offers a broad range of supportive services to make life better for families who choose us for their children's care.

Learn More About Riley Support Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC provides information about histoplasmosis prevention, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

MedlinePlus

This government website provides information about histoplasmosis prognosis, complications and prevention.

MiraVista Diagnostics

This sophisticated on-site fungal infection diagnostic laboratory focuses on diagnostic tests for serious fungal infections and fungal antigen and antibody detection tests.

Locations

In addition to our primary hospital location at the Academic Health Center in Indianapolis, IN, we have convenient locations to better serve our communities throughout the state.